For nearly thirteen years, Flame has been a dependable name in the Christian Hip-Hop scene. Fresh off of his critically-acclaimed eighth full-length, the St. Louis-based rapper teams up with recent Clear Sight Music signee Mike REAL to deliver a project focused on the restorative power of God. The result is Revival, a 22-minute EP that features the rap prowess of two artists with an unabashed passion for Jesus. Though not the most cohesive project released in 2016, Revival warrants a listen for CHH fans.

The EDM-laced title track jumpstarts the six-song collection with pounding percussion and an emotive chorus led by newcomer Parade. Flame introduces the project by calling on listeners to trust in God's power to spiritually revive a broken world ("If we look at church history, we can see that every now and then, / You choose a generation to bring revival in. / I pray that we can see it.") Flame also reminds us that we, as the church, must be different from the rest of the world, united by one Christ ("To deal with sin's condition, we practice repentance. / To deal with racial tension, we practice forgiveness. / We empathize; we talk; we sit, and we listen. / We gotta be different, remember, we Christians."). Up-tempo and confident, "Revival" serves as a warning to buckle up for the rest of the project. The anthematic "Whole 9" follows up with hard-hitting theology, expressing the wonder of Christ's atonement and the miracle of justification. As clever lines flow from both Flame and REAL, listeners catch a glimpse of the latter's unashamed defense of the Gospel ("my entire life is what I give for / and I don't care if I get dissed for Him") and rhythmic wit ("all of our songs are like voicemail, 'cause we leave a message") Thankfully, these two motifs that reappear throughout the EP.

Next up, the Matthew 6:19-inspired "#Escrow" is built upon the imagery of storing up treasures for Heaven, because earthly treasures will fade away, "I'm makin' deposits/I ain't gonna cash out on it now". Mike REAL's verse, a highlight of the album, includes a subtle allusion to Chance The Rapper's recent guest spot on Kanye West's "Ultralight Beam," while also addressing REAL's discontentment with the Christian Hip-Hop industry's push toward secular rap. With an enduring message and complimentary beat, the track ranks among the project's best songs. Denouncing the godlessness of the high life, the next track, "BulletProof," spits in the face of any distraction from Jesus, as the rap duo attacks verses on top of a trap beat. Though the track is marred by an overstuffed and ultimately unmemorable chorus, both Flame and REAL log impressive performances as they defend their Christ-defined identities.

The penultimate track, "Amputees", opens with Flame's recitation of Matthew 5:27-29: "if your right eye cause you to sin, tear it out and throw it away." Despite the undeniably clever and theologically-rich theme of the song (i.e. people who tear out their body parts are considered "amputees"), this track is undoubtedly the weakest of the six. The hook sounds like a jarring mash-up of T-Pain and Future, an annoying combination. Furthermore, both rappers spit their verses through a heavy dose of autotune, thus distracting from the song's overall message. The project wraps up with the optimistic "Don't Fear," which features the duo's former labelmate and emerging CHH "it girl," V. Rose. Based around Philippians 1:21 ("to live is Christ and to die is gain"), the final track is also the project's mellowest, although it suffers from distracting musical direction and an abrupt ending. While Mike REAL rhymes fluidly over the song's piano-laden beat, Flame's sung-rapped verse feels out of place, often drowned out by cluttered background vocals. When the song suddenly ends around the three-minute mark, listeners will be left wanting a more conclusive ending to the EP as a whole.

Like most of today's CHH releases, Revival contains a handful of cultural references and takes some cues from secular hip-hop trends; however, Flame and Mike REAL also continually make it clear that the Gospel drives their music, a refreshing change in an increasingly vague-Gospel genre. As a result, Revival is a biblically-saturated project that addresses many of the struggles and successes of the authentic Christian life. Although much of the production feels rushed at points (i.e. the end of some verses get drowned out by the songs' hooks, Flame and REAL rarely interact on tracks, hype-man elements detract from the general cohesion of certain tracks), and some tracks warrant only a listen or two (i.e. "Amputees," "Don't Fear"), Revival is a solid addition to Flame's impressive catalogue, as well as a noteworthy introduction to Mike REAL's lyrical craftiness. If you consider yourself a CHH enthusiast, don't miss out on this release! On the other hand, casual fans may want to listen to the first three tracks and skip the rest.